Following National Public Health Week, ITW Professional Brands has released a list of facility maintenance best practices to help protect the health and safety of building occupants for the rest of the year.

“Community health starts with clean facilities,” said Tim Rasmussen, ITW marketing director. “Organizations must ensure their spaces meet industry cleaning standards and provide employees with the necessary resources to protect themselves while on the job.”

The company offers the following tips for maintaining a clean and safe environment:

1) Enforce Handwashing: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), proper handwashing is the most effective way to limit the spread of infection. When soap and water is not readily available, supply employees and visitors with disposable hand sanitizing wipes that have the capability to destroy 99.9 percent of germs and MRSA. Select pre-moistened wipes as they offer the precise dilution ratio to successfully remove disease-causing germs and bacteria from skin.

2) Clean and Disinfect Frequently: Create a detailed, daily cleaning schedule that designates what will be cleaned, how often and who will perform the task. Beyond daily cleaning, sanitize germ “hot spots” often throughout the day. This includes frequently touched surfaces such as door handles, faucets, paper towel dispensers, toilets, etc. To do this, provide cleaning staff with pre-moistened disinfectant wipes. They are easy-to-use, increase efficiency and reduce the chance of cross-contamination throughout a facility. They also eliminate exposure to chemical concentrates. Consider distributing them to all employees to help them keep their personal work spaces clean as well.

3) Select a Professional Strength Disinfectant: To thoroughly disinfect hard surfaces, select an EPA-registered, multi-purpose cleaner/disinfectant. Choose a solution with a dwell time of 45 seconds or less. This will provide more efficient cleaning and reduce human error. The solution should have the power to clean, disinfect viruses and bacteria, sanitize, kill fungus, deodorize, degrease and remove stains.

4) Protect Your Employees: Provide employees with the required cleaning gear such as gloves and goggles to protect them from cleaning solutions. If you have professionals working outdoors, supply sunscreen wipes that can be applied to areas exposed to the sun such as the face, neck and arms quickly and easily. This will help reduce the risk of skin cancer and UV radiation exposure. If insects are a nuisance, offer insect repellent wipes. One-step wipes are safer than aerosol and pump sprays to use around the face to protect against inhaling vapors. Select wipes that are individually packaged, waterproof and greaseless so that they won’t interfere with tasks.

5) Promote a Safe Work Environment: Address all workplace safety and security issues with employees on a regular basis and encourage them to stay home when ill. Ensure your building is up-to-date with all OSHA laws and regulations. This includes testing your fire and alarm system on a routine basis and maintaining indoor air quality by providing proper ventilation and air filtration.